France authorizes Ukraine to launch long-range missile attacks
Kiev might utilize French cruise missiles for “self-defense,” according to Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. Read the full article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot has stated that Ukraine is permitted to use French missiles to conduct strikes on targets within internationally recognized Russian territory, although he did not confirm whether such strikes have already occurred.
In an interview set to air on the BBC on Sunday, Barrot emphasized that Paris places no "red lines" on its support for Kiev. He noted that Ukraine may engage in long-range strikes on Russian soil "in the logics of self-defense."
France has supplied Ukraine with an undisclosed quantity of SCALP-EG cruise missiles, which have been employed by Kiev to target locations in Crimea and the four former Ukrainian regions annexed by Russia in 2022. The SCALP-EG, referred to as Storm Shadow in the UK, has a maximum range of 550 kilometers and is an air-launched missile developed jointly by the UK and France.
Barrot's remarks followed the Ukrainian military's confirmation that Storm Shadow missiles were utilized against Russia’s Kursk Region, where Ukrainian forces conducted a cross-border operation in August. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, two of the British missiles were intercepted by Russian air defenses.
Additionally, reports emerged last weekend that US President Joe Biden had authorized Ukraine to deploy American-made ATACMS ballistic missiles for long-range operations on Kursk Region. Shortly after Biden’s decision, which remains unverified by the White House, Russian air defenses reportedly shot down five ATACMS missiles over Bryansk Region. Furthermore, one additional missile was damaged and fell on a military installation, as stated by the Russian Defense Ministry.
In May, French President Emmanuel Macron indicated he would contemplate allowing the use of SCALP-EG missiles on deep Russian targets. Recently, Barrot mentioned that Macron is still receptive to this idea. His statements to the BBC represent the first confirmation from a French official that Ukraine could utilize the missiles for long-range strikes against Russia.
While Barrot has not verified whether such attacks have taken place, Russia reacted to the recent use of ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles by targeting a military industrial facility in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, using a new ballistic missile. This hypersonic missile, known as the Oreshnik, is capable of carrying nuclear warheads and is set to be mass-produced and added to Russia’s arsenal shortly, according to President Vladimir Putin.
Putin accused the United States and NATO of intentionally escalating the conflict and asserted that Russia will fulfill all its military objectives, regardless of the weaponry used by Kiev. He warned that further strikes with Western arms would provoke retaliatory actions against chosen targets, stressing, “make no mistake: there will always be a response.”
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
In an interview set to air on the BBC on Sunday, Barrot emphasized that Paris places no "red lines" on its support for Kiev. He noted that Ukraine may engage in long-range strikes on Russian soil "in the logics of self-defense."
France has supplied Ukraine with an undisclosed quantity of SCALP-EG cruise missiles, which have been employed by Kiev to target locations in Crimea and the four former Ukrainian regions annexed by Russia in 2022. The SCALP-EG, referred to as Storm Shadow in the UK, has a maximum range of 550 kilometers and is an air-launched missile developed jointly by the UK and France.
Barrot's remarks followed the Ukrainian military's confirmation that Storm Shadow missiles were utilized against Russia’s Kursk Region, where Ukrainian forces conducted a cross-border operation in August. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, two of the British missiles were intercepted by Russian air defenses.
Additionally, reports emerged last weekend that US President Joe Biden had authorized Ukraine to deploy American-made ATACMS ballistic missiles for long-range operations on Kursk Region. Shortly after Biden’s decision, which remains unverified by the White House, Russian air defenses reportedly shot down five ATACMS missiles over Bryansk Region. Furthermore, one additional missile was damaged and fell on a military installation, as stated by the Russian Defense Ministry.
In May, French President Emmanuel Macron indicated he would contemplate allowing the use of SCALP-EG missiles on deep Russian targets. Recently, Barrot mentioned that Macron is still receptive to this idea. His statements to the BBC represent the first confirmation from a French official that Ukraine could utilize the missiles for long-range strikes against Russia.
While Barrot has not verified whether such attacks have taken place, Russia reacted to the recent use of ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles by targeting a military industrial facility in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, using a new ballistic missile. This hypersonic missile, known as the Oreshnik, is capable of carrying nuclear warheads and is set to be mass-produced and added to Russia’s arsenal shortly, according to President Vladimir Putin.
Putin accused the United States and NATO of intentionally escalating the conflict and asserted that Russia will fulfill all its military objectives, regardless of the weaponry used by Kiev. He warned that further strikes with Western arms would provoke retaliatory actions against chosen targets, stressing, “make no mistake: there will always be a response.”
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
